KU football standouts Hawkinson, McDougald snag NFL combine invites

Kansas University safety Bradley McDougald (24) matches up with Northern Illinois tight end Tim Semisch in the first half of KU's game against the Huskies, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012, in DeKalb, Ill.

For the first time since 2010, the Kansas University football team is sending multiple players to the NFL combine.

Senior safety Bradley McDougald and senior offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson both received invitations to the annual skills showcase, which will take place Feb. 23-26 in Indianapolis.

McDougald, whom KU coach Charlie Weis at one point called the best player on the team, announced the news via Twitter on Tuesday.

Photo by Nick Krug

Senior offensive lineman Tanner Hawkinson leads his squad through warmups during a morning practice on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at Memorial Stadium. Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo

Hawkinson, a four-year starter and KU’s record holder for consecutive starts, confirmed his invitation to the Journal-World via text message.

Hawkinson, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, and McDougald, 6-1, 209, will become just the fifth and sixth Jayhawks in the past four years to participate in the combine, joining 2010 participants Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier and Darrell Stuckey and 2012 participant Steven Johnson.

Although Johnson wound up undrafted, all four recent combine competitors wound up making NFL teams a few months after their trips to Indianapolis.

That is certainly the goal for McDougald and Hawkinson, two of the most productive Kansas players during the past four seasons.

Hawkinson, because of his size, good feet and versatility projects as a mid- to late-round selection and is ranked, by multiple draft scout web sites, as one of the top 20 offensive tackles available in this year’s draft.

McDougald, a natural athlete who still is getting used to playing safety after spending his first two seasons in Lawrence at wide receiver, ranked second on the team with 92 tackles and also tied for the team lead in interceptions (3) and forced fumbles (2).

Hawkinson, a McPherson native who graduated in December, is headed to San Diego to train for the combine. McDougald, a native of Columbus, Ohio, elected to stay close to Lawrence so he could complete his degree and will spend the next several weeks training in Kansas City.

This year’s NFL Draft will take place April 25-27.

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Boouk 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Anyone know if they'll play in the Senior Bowl and/or the East-West shrine game?

HawkChalk29 4 months, 2 weeks ago

McDougald accepted an invite to play in the East-West Shrine Game.

buckys1 4 months, 2 weeks ago

How about KU losing 11 games this past year to all bowl eligible teams . I am very optimistic with both Sims and Heaps in the backfield.

ccarp 4 months, 2 weeks ago

I just started to look that up before the NIU game. Thanks for clarifying. :-)

ahpersecoachingexperience 4 months, 2 weeks ago

As of now those teams are barely above .500 in their games.

dagger108 4 months, 2 weeks ago

and the victory was over a team that won a game in the FCS playoffs. It is no wonder we had the 2nd toughest sched, tho that's also just the Big 12 with 7 of the 10 toughest sched's (SEC had 3). I think I heard that there have actually been other teams that have played their entire schedule against teams that become bowl eligible, but it is only 1 or 2 other teams ever. It helps that there are becoming more and more bowls for the middie teams.

iamakufan 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Good luck to both Hawkinson and McDougald.

jhawkrulz 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Continue to make KU Proud. Good Luck!!

Reuben_J_Cogburn 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Good luck, gentlemen. And thanks for sticking it out these past 4 years.

Crusty 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Good luck to them. Has anyone noticed that the Wichita Eagle ( like the KC Star ) has gone to the Pay Wall BS !!! Where did the day go that Advertisements in the Papers paid enough to the Papers so they did not have to turn to Greed and charge out the A$$ for online reading ?? KC Star wants 109 bucks a year and the Eagle wants 60 " I think " a year subscription!! They can both kiss my grits !!!

I'd love to see Opurum get a shot at FB in the NFL. He certainly has the ability.

JHWKDW 4 months, 2 weeks ago

Good Luck to both Hawkinson & McDougald.

I would love to see you go to either the Broncos or 49ers, but hey I hope wherever you go, hope you make a team in the NFL. Good luck guys!

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